01-03-2008, 04:51 PM
North Port road deal hits snag
The Sembler Co. rejects contract with city to widen an intersection
By JOHN DAVIS
john.davis@heraldtribune.com
NORTH PORT -- A plan to widen the busy intersection of Price and Sumter boulevards is in jeopardy after a developer, The Sembler Co., refused to sign a contract sent by the city last month.
The city's deadline for Sembler to sign was this past Monday. Company attorney Steve Boone said his client was looking for a better deal, including a cap on how much money Sembler would have to spend to expand the intersection from two to four lanes.
"Sembler simply can't have an open checkbook," Boone said Wednesday.
The agreement called for Sembler to use the transportation impact fees it owes the city for a new shopping center -- an estimated $3 million to $4 million -- for widening the intersection. The firm was to bill North Port for the balance after the work was finished.
City leaders were surprised and disappointed that the agreement, in the works for nearly a year, failed. They said they were open to more negotiation.
Without the Sembler deal, North Port may not widen the intersection until 2013 or later.
"There was nothing wrong with the agreement," said Commissioner Barbara Gross.
Sembler is building a 400,000-square-foot shopping plaza at the southeast corner of the busy intersection that sees major east-west traffic on Price Boulevard and north-south traffic on Sumter, which connects North Port to Interstate 75.
Widening the intersection while building the plaza would save Sembler from the headache of city crews ripping up the road years from now, after its development is finished.
But the company has said it cannot get financing to cover the liability for potential lost business caused by construction at a nearby shopping center that includes restaurants, a supermarket and drug store.
Sembler is already spending an estimated $40 million to build the mall, which includes a 137,000-square-foot Target.
"We can only advance, only borrow a certain amount of money, through our construction acquisition loan," Sembler vice president Joseph Filippelli told the commission in November.
The city has successfully worked with developers to speed the widening of nearby Toledo Blade Boulevard, another I-75 connector. Workers are expanding that road from two to four lanes for $16 million.
Benderson Development Co., Centex Homes and Neal Communities are contributing $8 million to the Toledo Blade Boulevard project in lieu of impact fees, with North Port repaying the rest when work is completed.
The city favors such deals because developers can usually finish road work faster and cheaper than North Port could.
But at least one commissioner is done talking about the Sembler deal.
"We've negotiated for a year back and forth and back and forth, and we got nowhere," said Commissioner Jim Blucher.
The Sembler Co. rejects contract with city to widen an intersection
By JOHN DAVIS
john.davis@heraldtribune.com
NORTH PORT -- A plan to widen the busy intersection of Price and Sumter boulevards is in jeopardy after a developer, The Sembler Co., refused to sign a contract sent by the city last month.
The city's deadline for Sembler to sign was this past Monday. Company attorney Steve Boone said his client was looking for a better deal, including a cap on how much money Sembler would have to spend to expand the intersection from two to four lanes.
"Sembler simply can't have an open checkbook," Boone said Wednesday.
The agreement called for Sembler to use the transportation impact fees it owes the city for a new shopping center -- an estimated $3 million to $4 million -- for widening the intersection. The firm was to bill North Port for the balance after the work was finished.
City leaders were surprised and disappointed that the agreement, in the works for nearly a year, failed. They said they were open to more negotiation.
Without the Sembler deal, North Port may not widen the intersection until 2013 or later.
"There was nothing wrong with the agreement," said Commissioner Barbara Gross.
Sembler is building a 400,000-square-foot shopping plaza at the southeast corner of the busy intersection that sees major east-west traffic on Price Boulevard and north-south traffic on Sumter, which connects North Port to Interstate 75.
Widening the intersection while building the plaza would save Sembler from the headache of city crews ripping up the road years from now, after its development is finished.
But the company has said it cannot get financing to cover the liability for potential lost business caused by construction at a nearby shopping center that includes restaurants, a supermarket and drug store.
Sembler is already spending an estimated $40 million to build the mall, which includes a 137,000-square-foot Target.
"We can only advance, only borrow a certain amount of money, through our construction acquisition loan," Sembler vice president Joseph Filippelli told the commission in November.
The city has successfully worked with developers to speed the widening of nearby Toledo Blade Boulevard, another I-75 connector. Workers are expanding that road from two to four lanes for $16 million.
Benderson Development Co., Centex Homes and Neal Communities are contributing $8 million to the Toledo Blade Boulevard project in lieu of impact fees, with North Port repaying the rest when work is completed.
The city favors such deals because developers can usually finish road work faster and cheaper than North Port could.
But at least one commissioner is done talking about the Sembler deal.
"We've negotiated for a year back and forth and back and forth, and we got nowhere," said Commissioner Jim Blucher.